Welcome to my fishing blog… October 2022

October 2nd – Alcove AC v Silver Bream AC, Whitehouse Farm

This annual interclub match is always well attended on both sides. It’s a return match against the Silver Bream club, which holds its interclub match on their lake at Tortworth. I must admit Tortworth doesn’t really do it for me. I would get more excitement and satisfaction from fishing in a cesspit. Maybe a bit harsh but the fishing is very hard and the pegging is unbelievably close, so I don’t bother anymore. However, it’s a different story at Whitehouse, so I’m more than happy to get my pole out and do my bit to help Alcove to victory, if I can.

So, with 20-plus anglers congregated in the car park, and after a bit of parking control, we were ready for the draw.  As usual, everyone was hoping their fingers would gravitate toward one of the noted pegs. On Margaret’s like these are Pegs 17, 14, 13, 9, 8, 7 and 6. I would say, more wins have come from peg 14 and so this is the one I would personally favour. On George’s Lake, I would prefer peg 1, peg 6, pegs 18 and 19. So, it was a bit of a mad scramble to get your hand into the draw bag, and when it was finally my turn, all the best pegs on Margaret’s had already gone. I drew peg 6 on George’s!!! 

I have only ever drawn this peg once before and that was a couple of years ago. As I made my way to the peg, I was having flashbacks of the last time I was on this peg and it wasn’t pretty. On that occasion, I was not well prepared and the carp ran riot. I mean, I hooked like 8 big fish and lost them all in a weed bed to my left-hand side. However, I was much better prepared this time, especially with my trusty 8-metre Garbolino margin pole, set up with 24 hollow elastic. I would be able to stop a train with this gear. So, the plan was to fish for silvers in the first hour, while I primed the left-hand margin.

On peg 5 to my right, I had Dave Rugman of Silver Bream for company and on the all-in he started off on the whip. He began catching right from the off so I needed to keep an eye on him. I had set up an 8-metre line and I cupped out a small number of micros with groundbait and some dead reds. I caught a small roach after about 5 minutes so continued to feed lightly after every fish. To my left-hand margin, I had deposited a large cup of micos and about 20 6mm pellets of meat. Dave was catching some better quality skimmers on the whip and I was falling way behind but I wasn’t too bothered at this point. As I looked around the lake I could see everyone was having a quiet first hour so there was nothing to worry about at this stage.

Then before the hour was up Kevin Murch, one of our Legion lads on peg 17, took a double-figure carp to get weighed. I think it went just over 10 lbs. Soon after, word came up the bank that a Silver Bream guy on peg 1 had landed a fifteen-pounder. Peg 1 was the only peg I was concerned about as it’s a noted match-winner, in the right hands. So, with 90 minutes gone, I had about 2lb of small roach in the net. Dave had about 4lb but his catch rate was dropping off, which often happens on George’s Lake, especially if you feed too heavily. It was now time to try my margin line. I cupped in a few more micros and about 6 meat pellets then decided to have a cup of tea, while I watched for signs of carp.

Sure enough, the lilies were moving and twitching and so I knew there was at least one carp in residence. I baited up with a single 6mm pellet of meat to a size 14 Guru XS hook, tied to 0.22 Guru N-Guage hooklength and mainline. The only weak link in the rig being the loop knots between them. Straight away my float was moving from side to side, indicating that a carp was there feeding. However, it took another 15 minutes before I got a proper bite and with that I was into a big, big double. You always know when it’s a really big fish because at first, it doesn’t realise that it’s hooked. This one just bobbed around on the bottom, kicking up the silt before finally getting really angry and then bolting out towards the island, which was directly in front of me.  I just hung on for dear life!… or is it grim death?

I dipped the pole under the water as the elastic began to bottom out, and the carp made a sharp left turn behind the back of the island. At that point, I instinctively knew I wasn’t going to get a glimpse of this beast. Sure enough, the hook pulled out and the drama was over. A definite 20lb plus fish gone but 3 more hours to go. I cupped out more micros and meat pellets and let the swim settle while I spent another 10 minutes chasing the silvers. By this time, Dave on my right, had lost contact with his fish altogether and was struggling to buy a bite.  I went back over the feed on the short line and waited but after 10-15 minutes there was no sign of any more carp. So, I cupped out more micros, some groundbait and more meat.

I caught a few more small roach from the 8-metre line before going back in the margin. A few minutes later I was in again. Immediately I could tell that this was a smaller fish and so I felt confident in getting it out but it wasn’t all plain sailing.  It had gone through the lily bed and headed toward the end of the lake. All I could do was hold on and wait for it to turn back, which it finally did. Once it came back out of the lilies, I had it beat and soon sipped the net under a double-figure common. As all carp over 10lbs have to be weighed and returned, I took it down to the scalesman who just happened to be on peg 1. It went 11lb 8oz but then I find out that Pete Turner of Silver Bream, who was on that peg had already landed 2 double-figure carp and had over 30lb on the board.

I had it all to do if I was going to catch Pete. So, it was quickly back to my peg, and out on the silvers again for 10 minutes while I primed the margin. A few more small roach fell to my irresistible maggots before I decided to fully concentrate on getting some more carp out. I couldn’t see any obvious signs but I kept trying both meat and pellet on the hook. With about an hour to go, I latched onto another carp but I was sure it was foul-hooked and sure enough it was gone after about 20 seconds. Time was running out fast and so I had to keep trying and hoping for another double. With about 20 minutes to go, the float sailed away and I was in. This one felt like it was another small double and gave a good account of itself.

Five minutes later it was safely in the net and I was sure it was just under the 10lb mark so into the keepnet it went. Now, with only minutes left, unfortunately, there were no more signs of any carp in the swim. All out came the shout! Well, I knew I was beaten by peg 1 but I didn’t see any more carp caught on the lake so I thought I was in with a chance of some beer tokens today. When the scales came around, my carp went just under 10lb as expected, and I had over 3lbs of silvers, giving me a total of 24lb 13oz and second place on the lake. Pete Turner of SB was first overall with 34lb 8oz, Tony Skal, also of Silver Bream was second overall with 31lb 8.5oz from Margarets peg 6, and our own John Treasure was third overall with 31lb 8oz from Margaret’s peg 13. A nice pick-up for me on the day and a much-needed morale booster.

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October 2022

   2nd – Alcove v Silver Bream – Whitehouse Farm

   9th – Alcove v RBL – River Avon- Keynsham

   23rd – Stathe Drain – Bridgwater

November 2022

December 2022

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